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Posted April 3, 2013 12:27 am - Updated January 22, 2016 03:21 pm

Guest editorial: Banning 'big hits' from football

FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2012 file photo, South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney talks with teammates on the sidelines during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Wofford in Columbia, S.C. South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier says star defensive end Clowney doesn't want to quit on his team and is looking forward to playing football for the Gamecocks in 2013. Clowney's status become a trending topic this week, with some columnist suggesting the sophomore might sit out the season to protect his health and likely high draft position in 2014. (AP Photo/Stephen Morton, File)

The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune on April 1:

University of Michigan running back Vincent Smith had barely touched the ball when University of South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney leveled him.

That big hit during the 2013 Outback Bowl was the talk of the sports world. TV networks reran it for days. The play was legal, within the rules. So what’s the problem? For the game of football, nothing — and everything.

Big hits have made football the nation’s No. 1 spectator sport. They have made the National Football League a multibillion-dollar profit machine. Yet those big hits may prove to be football’s undoing. A collision sport known for its gladiator culture faces a legal reckoning that may force it to change its nature.

The most important person to the future of football may be a Columbia Law School graduate who works out of a federal courtroom in Philadelphia. Class-action lawsuits brought by hundreds of current and former NFL players who say they’ve suffered football-related brain injuries have been consolidated into a single case under Senior U.S. District Judge Anita Brody.

The players say they suffered injuries not just from spectacular hits. They also point to degenerative brain disease caused by “mild subconcussive impacts” — more routine hits that occur in practice, as well as games. Those hits can lead to disability and death, the players say. The most stunning claim: that the NFL conducted “a campaign of disinformation” that covered up the dangers.

The courts will determine whether the NFL has liability. Even if the plaintiffs don’t win here, though, it seems likely that football, from the professional ranks to college and high school and youth leagues, is in for major changes. There’s growing evidence of the risks of cognitive impairment.

The attention being paid to brain injuries is woefully overdue. Recognizing the risks does not mean that football has to be two-hand touch. At a minimum, it calls for a review of rules and procedures for treating injuries, as well as rapid adoption of new technology.